Improved mode of manufacturing ioe



@stuiten ftons atent @ffice Leiters Patent No. 03,413, dated April 2, 1867.

IMPROVED MODE OP MANUFAGTURING IG.

I@In Salou-title nutrir-tu ittlgcse ttthts zitcltt mit mating putt et the same.

TO ALL WHOM I'l MY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, TIIADDEUS S. C. LOWE, of the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Process for AManufacturing Ice, and for other refrigerating purposes; and I de hereby declare the following to bc a full'and exact description of the same.

It is well known to men of science that certain bodies, which at ordinary temperatures and at the atmospheric pressure, can exist-iu the stateof gas only, whenl subjected to suilieient mechanical pressure, are converted into the liquid state, evolving their latent heat. When these liquids are relieved from this pressure they returnto the state of gas, and, in so doing absorb heat from surrounding objects and rendering it latent; or, in other words, surrounding objects uill be cooled thereby. Certain' gaseous bodies, such as thedatmospheric air, oxygen and hydrogenfdo net change their state as above. Carbonio acid, sulphur-ous acid, nitrous oxide, and some hydrocarbon gases are examples of bodies which ordinarily exist in the gaseous state, and which, by mechanical compression, are converted into liquid state, as above stated, and it is sich that I employ in my process, preferring, however, carbonio acid.

'lhe nature of my process consists, first, in compressing mechanically carbonio acid gas, orother equivalen gaseous substances, as above set forth, into a liquid state, then bringing said liquid into contact or vicinity to u'atcr or other material telf/c refrigerated, and then relieving thc pressure so that the earbonic acid or equivalent material may return t0 its gaseous state, then collecting and returning the material in its gaseous state to the pump or compressing apparatus, to be again recompressed and re-used successively as before. The operation is continued in this manner, using the same material successively.

The latent heat evolved during the process of mechanical compression should be removed by a running stream of water, or by a blast of cool air or other equivalent means, applied to the compressing pump or tubes, reservoir, or chamber proceeding from or connected with a compressing pump. The water to be frozen or the material to be cooled should he brought into intimate contact with the tube or vessel containing thc carbonio acid or equivalent material while vaporizing or passing from the liquid to the gaseous state.

Among thc refrigerating purposes to which my process is applicable, besides the freezing of water for the manufacture of ice and the cooling of air for disinfccting or ventilation, or purification of ships, hospitals, and other apartments, thc preservation of meat, vegetables, and fruits, thc manufacture 0f frozen beverages and cream, cooling-packing.

A convenient apparatus for carrying out my process so far as relates to freezing Water is shown in the annexe-.l drawing, inavhich` Figure 1 is a perspective view of thc apparatus.

Figure 2, a horizontal section on thc line of y y, fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x x, g. 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section, partly iu elevation, on line 2 z, iig. 5.

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse section of thc expansion chamber.

Figure 6 is a plane and horizontal section in part of the same.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the condensing pump, partly in section.

Figure 8 is a vertical central section of the same.

The carbonio acid or other equivalent gas having been generated by any ofthe known processes, and accumulated for convenience ina gasometer, A, is drawn therefrom by the pump B, through a. pip@ in whigh is placed a drip for thc escupe of. accumulated vwater. In this induction pipc is a valve, Bl, opening inward, held in place by a. spring, while n similar valve, B2, opcningloutwards, permits the escape of the gas under the action,

of the pump. The plunger D is open above, and ou it should be poured a stream of water, which, overdowing, fills the tub inn-llieh the pump is immersed. The pumpis driven by any ordinary machinery. The compression p of the gus evolves L large amount of heat, and it is important to carry this heat olf so as to facilitate the passage of the gas to the liquid stale. To effect this the eductiou pipe is 'formed in a coil and placed Within a tub or receptacle supplied with a running stream of water through it. I prefer t0 introduce the cooling water so that it shall-first come into contact with that part of the coil furthest from the compressing pump and escape at the point nearest to the compressing'pump. After the pipe has passed through the cooler another trap is placed in it for withdrawing any water that may bermingled with it. The gas is thus passedthrough the dryer D. a metallic cylinder, illedwith chloride of calcium orother equivalent chemical absorbent of water. It is important/that the gas should be thoroughly dried, for any water mixed with it would soon be frozen and stop the pipes. It is then led into thecoil in lthe receiver E, where the requisite pressure to convert the gas to a liquid state 'is maintained, say, forcalrbonic acid gas,iabout forty atmospheres.' The gas slowly condcnses into aliquid, which foi-.ins in the bottom the coil. The parts being properly constructed this liquid may be retained under pressure indefinitely. When ilesigned to be used it is drawn through the pipe F into th vaporization chamber G. I recommend the use of tiwo pipes or a branched pipe, one part extending into tho upper part of the receiver for drawing o' the compresser gas, the other extending into the lower part of the coil foryldrawin'g olf the liquid. The liquid should be passed through a gauge having one six hundred and fiftieth part of theieapaeity of the expansion chamber. This gauge, being first charged, may be discharged into the expansion chamber with safety und without waste. To make the intense cold generated in the expansion chamber available to as great an extent as possible I construct its casing double throughout, and fill the intermediate space withi compressed wool. If the object be to manufacture ice I expose the water directly to the actionof the cold'by placingin the vaporisa-V tion chamber sets of copper or other cylinders, in immediate contact with which the frcshly-vaporizod gas circulates, absorbing caloric from the water. These cylinders are'made of sheet copper, increasing in diameter from top to bottom. They are closed below by an elastic plug, Gl, nitide of India rubber, so as to permit,l the expansion of the ice downward, thus preventing the rupture of the cylinders. Against these plugs a falling door, G3, closes, holding them in place. The. water is admitted through a small opening in the top of thc cylinders. A rod, G2, is also inserted through the top, by shrinking on which the block of ice may be started from the cylinder. When the gas in the freezing chamber has been heated by the caloric from the water it should be passed in a tube through one or more tanks through which water used in replenishing the' ice cylinders con- \stantly passes before entering rho ice chambers, and thus water will be greatly reduced in temperature. The gas thus becomes gradually warm by its passage through these tanks. The tanks communicate with one another by open pipes. After leaving file tanlis the gas is conveyed into the compressing pump, as at irst, or intermediately with the gasometer. The form and internal arrangements of the part respectively may be varied, almost indefinitely by preserving thc essential features of a condensing pump, a receiver, and nu evaporization chamber, in which the water or material to be cooled s brought into close proximity to the freshly vaporized carbonio acid or equivalent material.

What I claim herein as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Ccmpressing carbonio acid, or other equivalent gaseous body, into a liquid by a pump, and then permitting it to expand in a close chamber in contact withthe exterior surface kofthe vesselsfuori-pipes containing the; I water orother suostancete 'le rcmgeratcd.

2. Gompressing carbonio acid, or other equivalent gaseous body, into a liquid, by a pump, and then permitting it to expand in a close chamber in contact with the exterior surface of the vessels or pipes containing the-water or other substance to be refrigerated, and then returnin pressed and reused. K

3. Compressing carbonio acid, or other-.equivalent gaseous body, by a pump having sulicient power to convert it into a liquid, removing the heat evolved by compression by exposing the pipe containing the compressed gas to the action of cold currents of water or air in contact with the surface thereof, and then permitting it to expand in a close chamber in contact with the exterior surface of the vessels 0r pipes containing the Substance to be refrigerated.

4. Compressing carbonio acid, or other equivalent gaseous body, by a pump having sulcient power to convert it into a liquid, and removing any watery vapor or moisture from the compressed gas by passing it through chloride of ealeiumor equivalent absorbent. v

5. Introducing the cold current of water or air to the cooling coil at the point most distant from the pump, and causing it to iiow along the pipe toward the pump and escape from the poiutuearest the compressing pump.

T. s. te. LOWE.

g'the gas to the condensing pump to be recom- Witu esses:

JoiiN S. HoLLINcsHuAD, WM. J. FAHEMY. 

